Unattended sensors, micro- or miniature-air vehicles (MAVs) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) will require more energy than batteries can supply. The delivery of high power through an optical fiber to a remote platform or location is a powerful enabler of systems with new and expanded capabilities relative to systems currently fielded. Among the possible systems that may be considered are MAVs, UGVs, other unattended sensors and vehicles, and remotely located actuators within larger platforms such as aircraft. Most of these systems currently exist with traditional means of power delivery such as batteries, photovoltaics, miniature internal combustion engines, copper electrical cables, or hydraulic systems. Use of these traditional means imposes a variety of limitations on the system operation. These limitations include system weight and size, observability, operating time, maximum power available, high voltage insulation and safety issues, and system reliability and redundancy.
What is needed is a method and system that overcomes some or all of these limitations.